26/01/2011

1408 - 2007 USA d:Mikael Håfström



Stephen King is not a very good writer, in this reviewer's opinion.  What he is/was, however, is a very good "ideas man".  At thinking up the basic premises of stories he has an astonishing gift.  It is, therefore, quite surprising that other writers have been so unsuccessful in honing and shaping these ideas for the screen.  Of course, there's Carrie and The Shining and Stand By Me and a few others, but the vast majority of King film and TV adaptations have been pretty damned awful, soon settling into a home in the bottom of the bargain basement. And so to 1408.

1408 is a strange film.  It aims to be the ne plus ultra of haunted room tales, and might well have succeeded had it run for thirty or forty minutes.  There simply is not enough material here to sustain an feature film and as a result often waffles, faffs and lays on the sentimentality to fill the running time. So, another King based disaster then?  No.

What 1408 does achieve is at such a high level that it is a film that has to be recommended despite its failings.  Firstly, the atmosphere is quite astonishing. The haunting/phenomena is presented like a psychedelic experience or like the collapse of of rational consciousness.  If ever there was a film that captures the moods and feelings of certain drugs it is this one.  The bulk of the picture is much like someone managed to film a ketamine trip.  A wonderfully novel and intriguing way to present a haunting story.  And then there's John Cusack.  I have always liked Cusack and found him to be a charismatic and likeable actor, but here he is simply breath-takingly remarkable. This is a tour de force of emotional acting - we're talking almost Harvey Keitel in Bad Lieutenant, Marlon Brando in Last Tango In Paris level stuff here. He really is that good.

The ultimate condemnation of 1408 is that is simply isn't scary or creepy. There is none of the stark breathless dread of The Haunting or the creeping unease of The Innocents. The affair is too fascinating to be frightening,really.  But if you wanted to be fascinated by the odd approach and mood then this is a must see.  Add to this the masterclass performance from John Cusack and you have a film worth seeking out.

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